


Not Dead Yet

by Elf_Kid



Category: Megamind (2010)
Genre: Early Days, Gen, Megamind was insignificant, POV Outsider, reference to violence, references to supers who die young, until suddenly he wasn't
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 10:53:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29367318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elf_Kid/pseuds/Elf_Kid
Summary: Everybody knows that villains have short careers, and most die young. Everybody knows that supervillains don't usually grow old. People who play with explosives are bound to blow themselves up, sooner or later.Somehow, Megamind is not dead yet.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 67





	Not Dead Yet

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ladyspock7](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyspock7/gifts).



> This concept came to me suddenly, and I found that I absolutely had to write it. Partially inspired by the wonderful and amazing LadySpock7's fic, Stepping Out.

Agent Z believed in patterns. 

There were patterns to what kind of person became a hero. There were patterns to who survived, who fell off the straight and narrow, and who died. There were patterns to who disappeared, and who didn’t. 

There were patterns to when and where the Heathen Anarchists of Terrorizing Extremism attacked. 

Patterns everywhere, some of them meaningful, and so many overlapping to create the much-vaunted ‘Bigger Picture’. 

Agent Z was good at noticing and analyzing such things. 

There was a pattern to who got assigned which tasks in the League of Heroes. For example: Fire Scout had fire-powers, superstrength, and a background in medicine, so he was often assigned to the search-and-rescue missions, the fires, and the supervillain-attacks. Fire Scout got the kind of assignments that always seemed to end in particularly heartwarming pictures and videos on the evening news. 

Agent Z did not appear on the news if they could help it. 

Agent Z had the lion’s share of the paperwork. Including reviewing the files for new members, and compiling assessments, and creating initial assignments.

The newest recruits looked to be an idealistic bunch, which was usual for newbies. Agent Z made a note to schedule them for team-ups with some of the more experienced heroes. Then they wrote up a short list of hardline ethical League-members who verifiably maintained ethical standards even when things got messy and complicated. 

_Data indicated that heroes were as much as 20% less likely to follow the_ Shatterpoint _patterns if they had at least one solid, trustworthy mentorship social-bond to lean on._

Then they went back to scanning the unfortunately-still-slim files on the new heroes.

**_Name:_ ** _ Sandstorm:  _

**Age:** _ Early 20’s (estimate) _

**Powers:** _ Telekinesis, with a preference for fine particles as opposed to large, solid objects. Possible precognition.  _

**Recruiter Assessment:** _ Good in a fight, and knows how to make her limitations into specialized strengths. Impressive control over powers. _

**Personality Assessment:** _ Vocal about justice and fairness. Strong sense of right and wrong. _

Sandstorm was an interesting case. There wasn’t enough information on where or how she got her powers yet. There wasn’t enough information on if she was trained, or self-taught. There wasn’t enough information on whether she had and ties-- past or present, personal or professional-- with any of the League of Heroes’ many enemies. 

Agent Z didn’t  _ like _ having gaps in their information. 

Speedster vouched for her, but Speedster had gone missing after a HATE attack, only to resurface in Arizona eight months later claiming this ‘Sandstorm’ was his new best friend.  Speedster’s judgement could be compromised. 

Agent Z made a mark by her name. They’d have to keep an eye on her

**_Name:_ ** _ Metro Man.  _

**Age:** _ 17 years old.  _

**Powers:** _ Flight. Laser-eyes. Tier-3 super-strength. Impervious to sharp objects, bullets, and fire. _

**Recruiter Assessment:** _ Passed the official tests with flying colors, and not because his overly generous familial sponsors had paid to ensure his place. This kid’s power and precision is genuinely impressive, especially given his age.  _

**Personality Assessment:** _Friendly. Strong sense of duty. Seems eager to go out and help people._

Well-sponsored and, going by the name, already locked into the role of Defender for Metro City. Agent Z made a note to find out what his contract looked like, who negotiated it, and exactly how legally binding it was. 

It was so easy for young heroes to end up exploited, these days. Certain types of exploitation, of applied pressure, could shorten a hero's life-expectancy by a significant degree. Agent Z had the articles, studies, and power-point presentation to prove it.

Another thought occurred to them.

They set the files to the side, turned to the computer, and sent out a memo for Metro Man and Steelman to arrange a meeting in their next mutually-available time-slot. 

Steelman was one of the only other Tier-3 heroes in the League. He would make sure Metro Man understood how fragile most other people were. For those with thick skins and super-strength, it was all too easy to hit  _ too hard _ , or carry someone to safety but hold on _ too tight _ , and… well. 

It was better for everyone if that was a lesson that new heroes  _ didn’t _ learn the hard way. 

Data showed that prompt, efficient communication saved lives. 

After they’d seen the confirmations from both parties about the scheduled meeting, Agent Z turned back to the third file.

**Name:** _ Luckster _

**Age:** _ unknown.  _

**Powers:** _ Possible ability to manipulate laws of probability. Possible untrained telekinesis and/or precognition powers. Verified sleight-of-hand & stage-magician skills.  _

**Recruiter Assessment:** _ Good at hand-to-hand combat; avoids use of weapons. Criminal record mostly involves nonviolent activities tied to the criminalization of homelessness, and should thus be disregarded.  _

**Personality Assessment:** _ Protective toward those weaker than him. Distrusts authority. Deep understanding of justice and injustice.  _

Now, this one was interesting. Having reviewed the relevant footage from security tapes, Agent Z knew that Luckster almost definitely had some form of superpowers. Or had enough specialized skill to pass for it, which was impressive in its own right.

However, the new hero had thus far been unwilling or unable to provide details on how he caused the demonstrated effects.  While Agent Z understood his reasoning-- knowledge is power; best to minimize the possibility of it being used against you-- the incomplete data frustrated him. 

He made a note to compile more data on the subject, and sent a standardized message requesting that Luckster complete an official League assessment. Then they made a private note to ensure that all of Luckster’s paperwork for full membership was completed promptly and correctly. 

No risk anything getting “lost” or “misfiled” if they handled it all personally.

There were some people who thought Luckster wasn’t a good fit for the League of Heroes. Some had suggested that his ambiguous powers, distrust of authorities, and general attitude demonstrated that Luckster was untrustworthy and amoral. 

Agent Z disagreed. 

Including people with differing points of view on certain issues reduced the risk of group bias and helped narrow their collective blind spots on certain ethical dilemmas. There was a well-known pattern of corrupt people seeking positions of authority, after all. It wouldn’t hurt to have another member who understood that heroes aren’t automatically in the right about everything. 

Better a few internal disputes now than a scandal later. They couldn’t afford to lose anyone else to HATE.

Agent Z stacked the files and put them aside, then hesitated, and opened them again, spreading them all out on the desk. 

If these new heroes were going to be a part of the League, they needed to be able to do the work, both individually and as a team. But, he wanted more individual data before he started building teams. 

Evidence showed that a poorly constructed team of supers is a danger to itself and others.

.

.

.

A solution presented itself.

They turned back to the computer and started a search on villainous activity from the past two months.

There were always villains making trouble. They typically had short careers and short lives, hellbent on causing trouble before they went down.  Heroes were expected to stop them. 

Agent Z filtered the search for verified sources only. In areas close to where the new heroes live. Paying close attention to methods, to power levels…. 

They would arrange for each new hero to go after specific villains at a time when they were prepared to observe in detail. The information thus gathered would help ensure that the League of Heroes made optimal use of their talents. 

And, the streets would be that much safer for the average citizen, afterwards.

They’d done it before. They could do it again.

* * *

New Mexico was mostly quiet, which wasn’t surprising for that area in this time of year. However, there _was_ a trio of jewelry-thieving witches causing trouble in Phoenix, Arizona. The Coven of Crows had some interesting powers and expensive taste in jewelry, but thus far didn’t seem to pose a high-level threat. 

They could send Sandstorm after them and see how she handled herself against multiple opponents with varying abilities. 

Maybe keep Speedster or Queen Coyote nearby, just in case they managed to summon an army of demons or something. 

Agent Z wrote plans to contact the authorities in Phoenix for more details, made a reminder to send word out to the relevant heroes, and sent a command to ensure that they would have eyes ready and watching when the time came. It would be interesting to see how the matter played out.

* * *

New Mexico was quiet this time of year. 

Metro City was less so. 

Along with the usual rumble of crime and gang-violence for a city that size, it seemed that Metro City had a couple of mutants running loose: a blue-skinned humanoid with an oversized head, and a robot piloted by either a fish or a floating monster-head-- reports seemed to vary. 

The two were currently wanted for, among other things, armed robbery, breaking and entering, grand theft auto, and wreckless driving. 

Neither was reported as having superpowers, but apparently the blue guy had a customized ray-gun that was, if Agent Z had to guess, most likely stolen from whatever secret lab they’d escaped from. 

Something to investigate, later.

Although it was definitely in Metro Man’s home-turf, Agent Z felt reluctant to send such a powerful and untrained hero against these particular villains. 

Mugging people, robbing groceries and gas-stations and electronics stores…. It simply wasn’t the sort of crime that required a super-strong, bulletproof hero with laser-eyes to stop.  If possible, Agent Z thought it might be better to arrange for Luckster to handle the matter. 

Luckster was, according to his information, fairly transient. And he had experience making judgement-calls with people doing what it took to survive. 

Granted, reports indicated that these two were a bit more bold and confrontational than the average lab-escapees, but Agent Z was non insensitive to how circumstances could back people into a corner. It was hard to get a legitimate job if you were the “wrong” shape or color, after all. 

How Luckster handled the situation would likely reveal much about him. Agent Z looked forward to learning.

* * *

Finding a suitable opponent for Metro Man was more challenging. 

On the one hand, he was only 17, and new to heroics. It wouldn’t do to send him after someone like Duchess Death or Shadowmancer right out the gate. 

On the other hand, he was powerful enough that he couldn’t be sent after the non-super gangsters and low-level villains, either. Young people can often forget to pull their punches in the heat of the moment, and blood-stained gloves and blood-stained capes don’t look good on anyone, no matter whose blood it is. 

The Heathen Anarchists of Terrorizing Extremism are always recruiting. 

Agent Z knows how to recognize patterns.

They add a mark to Metro Man’s file, and make a note to consult with some colleagues on the matter. His was clearly an unusual case,and the situation could become disastrous if mishandled. This was a matter that required… multiple points of view. 

Metro Man could become a powerful force for good in the world, with the proper guidance. It was important to discuss what exactly "proper guidance" might look like, in this particular case.

You couldn’t trust everyone to conform to the same patterns, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment. Comments feed my soul and fuel my will to write.


End file.
